Index.



No. 639,03l. Patented nec. l2, |899.

H. L. HALL. y

l N D E X.

(Application filed Aug. 31, 1899.)

v(No Model.)

@noem roc,

llNiTnn STATES PATENT Uniden.

HENRY LYONS HALL, OF MEXIA, TEXAS.

INDEX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 639,031, dated December 12, 1899. i

` Application filed August 31,1899. serai No. 729,106. (No man.)

T0 @ZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY LYoNs HALL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Mexia, in the county of Limestone and State of Texas, haveinvented a certain new and useful Index, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to indexes for convenience of bookkeepers in referring to ac` counts of customers and for other like purposes.

The object of the invention is to provide an index of the character indicated which shall be economical of construction and convenient for use in any position, either to the left, in front of, or to the right of the user.

The invention consists, essentially, in the combination ofa movable base or pedestal having a fixed peg or stud at one side thereof and a plurality of perforations on the' other side for the reception of a movable stud, a post or pillar provided with a suppcrting-col lar, a central sash or frame pivotally mounted upon the post, and a plurality of sashes or frames hinged to the central sash and to each other, each of the sashes or frames being provided with a projection having openings, and having a slot or passage through one edge for the insertion of an index-sheet.

In the drawings forminga part of this speci- Iication, Figure 1 is a perspective of my improved index mounted and ready for use. Fig. 2 is a broken perspective showing the manner of hinging the sashes together.` Fig. 3' is a perspective of the base, and Fig. 4t is a section across one of the sashes or frames. Fig. 5 is a perspective of a yoke or keeper made in the form shown for holding the frames in closed position when not in use.

l is a movable base or pedestal having permanently attached thereto a peg 2 and provided with sockets or perforations 3 3n for the reception of a movable peg or stop 4. This base may be of any suitable material and may be rectangular, as shown, or circular or other suitable form and should be of sufficient dimensions and weight to give a firm support for the index. Either removably or permanently connected with the base is a ltached thereto a supporting-collar 6.

post or pillar 5, having formed thereon or at- Pivotally mounted upon the post is a central frame or sash 7, which may be either a dummy frame without any index letter or character, and the sheet mounted in this frame may be used for memoranda of any desired character, or the central frame may carry, as shown in the drawings, a perforated projection through which the middle letter or letters of the alphabet may be exposed. To this central frame I pivot on opposite sides, through the medium of detachable hinges, other sup pleinental frames 8 8, as shown in Fig. 2. Any desired number of frames may be added to complete or make up an index involving any desired number of index-sheets. Each of the supplemental frames is provided at the top or at the outer margin thereof with a lug or projection 9, having openings entirely through to constitute a frame or border through which index letters or characters are exposed. The frames as l prefer to make them are built up of sheet metal in the form shown and have a slot or opening through the outer margin for the insertion and removal of the index-sheets l0 lO.

In use should the bookkeeper wish his index either on his left or right the stud 2 and the pegt will bein the position shown in Fig. 3 and the index as a whole may be thrown to either one sideor the other and opened from left to right or right to left, as may be most convenient; but when the bookkeeper adjusts the index in front of him the peg 4 will be moved to the hole or socket 3f, when the index may be opened and fully spread out, when the frames may be turned,as above indicated, either from right to left or left to right. By my improvement an index is provided which may be adjusted to any desired position and any desired number of frames may be used, according to the number of names to be indexed. In other words, the index as a whole may be expanded or contracted to correspond with the necessities of any character of business or number of names to be indexed.

1l, Fig. 5, is a yoke or keeper conveniently made from a metallic wire or strip in the form shown, to be applied to the top of the index to hold the same in closed position when not in use.

Having described the invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination of a movable base having a Xed stud at one side and a plurality of perforations or sockets at the other side,a movable peg adapted to t the sockets, a post or pillar havinga collar connected With the base, a central sash or frame pivotally connected with the post, and a plurality of supplemental sashes removably hinged to the central frame and to each other, the supplemental sashes being provided with ears or projections having openings and provided With aslot or opening at the outer margin thereof for the insere tion of index-sheets carrying index letters or characters to register with the openings in the projections, substantially as described.

2. The combination of a movable base or pedestal having a fixed peg on one side and a plurality of sockets on the other side, a movable peg, a post or pillar rigidly connected with the base, a central sash or frame pivotally connected with the post, and a plurality of supplemental frames removably connected with the central frame, and index characters connected with the supplemental frames,sub stantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix-my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY LYONS HALL.

Witnesses J. W. SIMMONS, S. KATTEN. 

